


Scar Issues

by Breezles



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 19:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17086322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breezles/pseuds/Breezles
Summary: This fic is for the one and only @keelywolfe, based on their “By any other name” Series. Inspiration has hit this hard in a while, forcing me to lose a little sleep and obsess over the concept that rattled in my brain pan. Definitely notes of their drabbles: Sleep Patterns and Nyctophilia helped inspire this piece.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keelywolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/gifts).



> I don’t experience Migraines… My sister seems to have them on occasion and I once had a roommate in college who suffered from them. That’s as far as my experience goes. I also based a bit of it on how Keely handled the topic in her drabbles listed above.

That was one hell of annoying sound.

How long has it been going off? A few minutes, hours, DAYS?

It just goes on and on and on, when will it stop.

Stretch’s eye sockets opened one at a time, hazy eyelight glaring at the wall as if it had personally offended him. The alarm on the nightstand continued to shrill out the song of its people. Demanding to be heard across the land. 

With an exaggerated groan, Stretch rolled over, ready to put the blaring beast out of his misery.

It took a moment and a half for Stretch’s brain to process what he saw before him. A moment and a half too long for his liking. 

Edge was curled up in a tight little ball, arms clutching his pillow like a lifeline. Sharp fingertips threatened to rip tears into the fabric. Arms trembled lightly as his magic seem to flare with agitation. 

As gently and as quietly as he could manage, Stretch sat up, allowing for the warm blankets to bare this bones to the cooler air. Carefully, he leaned over Edge, shutting off the alarm once and for all. Only a bit of tension seemed to have ebbed off of Edge’s form in response. But his face still remained pressed against the pillow, as if attempting to have his pain leave him via osmosis. 

As delicately as if he were handling fine china, Stretch placed his hand on Edge’s, feeling his husband flinch at his touch. Worry etched its way onto Stretch’s face as he gently eased the pillow and limbs away from his lover’s face. Edge kept his scared eye socket closed, barely peeking at him with other eyelight. 

“It’s really bad this time, isn’t it?” Stretch whispered as softly as he could muster. Edge could only nod in reply. Stretch could feel the tremors beneath his hand. “Hang on, I’ll get your pills and a glass of water.” Edge could only offer half a groan as Stretch let him pull his arms back to smother his face back into the downy pillow. 

Stretch shortcuts out of the room, not wanting to jostle his poor husband anymore than he already had. He quickly gathered the necessary items before shortcutting back into the room, reappearing right next to the bed. Crouching down, Stretch trailed his fingertips gently over his sagittal suture. “Babe?”

Edge gave a small grunt in reply. Slowly he raised himself from the ball he was in, facing Stretch without opening his eyes.

“I got the painkillers and the ones that’ll help you sleep,” Stretch whispered, offering his closed fist.

“Thank you” Edge rattled out, voice strained with pain. He opened up his hand, waiting for Stretch to deposit the pills before popping them into his mouth. He waited for press of glass against his hand before taking a sip and swallowing the pills down.

Stretch watched him intently. He had urged Alphys for anything that could help Edge deal with his migraine like problem. And with a little trial and error they developed a bit of medicine, infused with healing intent, that helped Edge deal with his problem, even if moderately. 

The painkillers would only ebb off the pain a bit, while the sleeping pills could help Edge escape the worse of it. Stretch knew he hated taking them, unless the pain was bad enough to warrant it. He took the glass from Edge and set it on the nightstand.

Edge laid back down, curling back in on himself, burrowing slightly under the covers and pillows. Stretch would have found it adorable, if the source of the behavior wasn’t so terrible. 

“Need anything else?” 

“You.” Edge’s voice shook as he spoke, barely above a whisper. 

“Ok, One moment.” Stretch made sure that all the curtains were drawn completely closed. Not a single drop of sunlight was getting in, if he had any say in it. He carefully eased himself back into bed right next to Edge. He was about to put some space between them when Edge latched onto his chest, pulling himself closer and burying his face against his sternum. 

“It really was a bad one, huh?” Stretch whispered, slowly curling his arms around the other skeleton, tucking him in protectively. Edge gave a small nod as he shifted, waiting for the pills to take their affect. His thumbs trailed over Edge’s scarred ribs, carefully trying not to hum out a song in the quiet room. 

It had been awhile since his husband’s last episode, but Stretch wasn’t entirely surprised. With all the events happening lately, the extra projects at the embassy, and all the other things loaded onto Edge’s plate lately, Edge had been nothing but stressed the fuck out lately. 

It was like some sadistic author had taken over their lives and began raining down problems upon them, one right after the other. Though, granted there was more than plenty of good moments sprinkled in, quite a few of them he would give kudos to the author for. 

Looking down at Edge as his features began to soften while the medicines began their work. Stretch couldn’t help but be reminded of how much younger his grumpy lover was. To have to grow up too fast to survive in the world he grew up in. The things Edge had to do and endure in the name of survival. 

The nightmares were no secret to Stretch. They brought back the pain from the past, like evil necromancers of scars. Edge never told him what happened in those nightmare, like it was any of his business to begin with. However, if Stretch could take away his pain, he would do it in a soul-beat. 

A long exhale below him, and with a glance, Stretch knew Edge had fully fallen back to sleep. Reluctantly, Stretch pried Edge off of him and he shortcuts away from the bed to the desk where Edge left his phone charging. Hacking into the phone was simple as he reappeared downstairs on the couch, dialing up the Embassy. 

“Hello?” Came a reply after the phone had rung twice. 

“Oh, Hey Janice, Didn’t expect you to pick up, was gonna leave ya a message.”

“I came in early to get a few things done,” Came Janice’s reply, her voice held a hint of concern. “Why are you calling? Is everything alright?”

“Not exactly, I don’t think Edge is going to make it into work today.” Stretch’s voice carried his concern over the phone. 

“Oh no, is he having another”

“Yep,” Stretch cut her off, “Just thought I give you the heads up. He should be fine by tomorrow.” 

“Ok, good. I’ll go ahead and clear his schedule. Luckily we don’t have any major meetings today. You go take care of him, Stretch.” He can hear the clicking of the keyboard as she spoke. 

“Will do, Thanks, Janice.”

“Anytime.” And with that, the line goes dead. 

Stretch turns off Edge’s phone and leans over to the coffee table where his phone was left the night before. Turning it on, Stretch smiles to see that fifteen percent of the battery remained. He shot Blue a text, asking if he could come over and help make lunch that was easy on the stomach for Edge. Sometimes the migraines were severe enough to make Edge nauseous, so Stretch decided to play on the safe side. Which generally meant he shouldn’t even try to cook. 

After getting an affirmation from Blue, Stretch popped back to the room, lightly slinking back into bed, cuddling up to Edge, as if he had never moved. He placed a gentle kiss over his brow bone, earning him a nuzzle. 

“Thank you.” Came a half mumbled response, a smile forming on Stretch’s face in endearment. 

“Always.” He whispered back in promise, a promise he’d hold dear in his soul as he planted a second kiss. Stretch knew Edge wasn’t going to have any energy for the day, these migraines draining everything from the normally active skeleton. But Stretch will be there for his Edge, like Edge always is there for him in his time of need. That would always be his promise.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two, Edge's perspective

It hurt, it hurt so much. 

Edge couldn’t remember the last time his head pounded so badly after a nightmare. This last one so vivid, he almost felt that he had lived it. Well, he did, in the past. But it was peaceful now, no need to fight, no need to scavenge or starve. He was safe at home, with the alarm blaring as if it was against his acoustic meatus. 

It had been going on for about five minutes, but any thought in turning around and turning it off made the pain worse. He couldn’t move from the fetal position he had himself in. He knew turning it off was his only way to end the blasted machine, he just couldn’t pry himself away from the pillow. 

Soon enough, Stretch came to his rescue. He wasn’t entirely silent about being woke up so early but Edge thanked the stars that his love could read him so well. Not that Edge wasn’t making it too obvious what was happening. Soon enough, the alarm ended and he was being checked in on as gently as possible. 

It hurt to look at Stretch. Not only did the worried look on his face send a jolt of unnecessary guilt to his soul, just peeking out of the encompassing darkness of his pillow seem to send bullets through his skull.

Stretch was quick to action. Retrieving the needed pills and water so he could find some escape from the burning hell in his brain. His scarred socket seemed to burn and throb. Glad for the efforts made by Stretch to come up with something that could bring even a mild amount of relief.

When Stretch asked if he needed anything else, there was nothing more that he wanted than a bit of comfort from his husband. Once Stretch settled back into bed, Edge made sure to cling onto him, seeking out the comfort he desperately needed. He tried to will the pills to take effect faster as his lover’s fingers ran over his bones. 

He was nearly completely out, a content sigh slipping out as he began to feel the effects of the pills, when he felt Stretch slide out of his grasp, disappearing for a moment to the desk, where he heard his phone being picked up and the room fell completely silent. Even though sleep beaconed for him, Edge drifted in a hazy limbo. It didn’t take long for Stretch to come back, being ever so careful not to jostle him. 

Edge appreciated that, appreciated the fuck out of everything Stretch did and would be doing for the rest of the day. It was a no brainer to assume that Stretch called in for him, there was no way he’d be able to work today. 

“Thank you” He pushed out as he began to slip past limbo into the final grasps of sleep. He didn’t miss the gentle kiss on his crown, nor the soft reply of ‘always’, sending a small spark of warmth in his soul as he slumbered. 

He wasn’t sure how long he was out when he drifted back awake. The pain from his migraine had dulled some, but a light throb seemed to stubbornly persist. He was alone in the bed, not that he minded, he didn’t want Stretch to feel cooped up all day in bed with him. It wouldn’t have been fair. 

The opening of the door caught his attention, he shifted and turned to look at the door, flinching as his head reminded him that the action still wasn’t a good Idea. 

“Hey, you’re awake.” Stretch said softly as he entered the room, a bowl in his hand was steaming. “You think you’d be up to eating, my bro made you some soup.”

Edge considered it for a moment. “Maybe a little.” He voice came out hoarse and drained. 

Stretch hummed in acknowledgement as he set the bowl down before sitting on the edge of the bed. “Here, let’s get you sitting up.” Stretch helped him to sit up, fluffing the pillows behind him.

Edge reached out to take the bowl when Stretch pushed his hand down. “No, no, I got it.” He could hear the bowl being lifted from the stand. 

“I can feed myself” Edge protested weakly.

“You can barely keep your eyes open,” Stretch countered, stirring the spoon in the bowl and gently blowing in the contents. 

“Is this revenge for when you where sick?” 

“Maybe a little. Now open up, fussy-bones.” Stretch fed him the spoonful, being careful not to spill any on the comforter. 

Edge swallowed the mouthful, tasting the soup, a tomato basil. “He’s getting better.” He complimented as he opened his mouth for the next spoonful. 

“Yea, well someone helped give him a few pointers. I think I have my husband to thank for that.” That brought a small smile to Edge’s face. Stretch silently fed Edge until he couldn’t take any more. Stretch finished the bowl, not wanting Blue’s soup to go to waste. 

“Need anything else? More pills or water?” Stretch questioned as he helped ease Edge back below the covers, taking extra care to tuck him in. 

“No, I’m fine. I’m sure you have more important things to do.” Edge felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from rolling over.

“There is nothing more important than taking care of you, Love.” Stretch tapped a kiss on Edge’s brow bone. “The chickens have been fed, I don’t need to be at work and Blue took care all the cleaning. I’m all yours, one hundred and fifty percent.”

Edge’s soul fluttered at that, returning a soft kiss on Stretch’s mandible. “Well, in that case. I could use a napping partner.”

Stretch chuckled lightly, “I don’t know, I may be overqualified.”

“Overqualified my ass, get in the blankets.” Edge demanded as he lifted the blankets. 

“Definitely overqualified in that department too.” Stretch hummed as he gingerly moved over, Edge shifted to curl in on Stretch. “Glad you’re feeling better, Love.”

“It sucks.” Edge nearly whined, resting his head against Stretch’s sternum. He could hear Stretch’s soul beat steadily, lulling him back to sleep. 

“I know, babe. I’m here for you.” Stretch gently pets Edge’s head as they both drift off to sleep.


End file.
